The Four Horses by G.A. Ingersoll 1. Once upon a time, there were four horses standing near the edge of time. One said, “Jump!” and all of the others did, sailing off into infinity. The last horse became lonely and wished he hadn’t said what he had. 2. Once there were four horses. Each horse was a different color: dun, piebald, chestnut, blue, you know the drill. One got jealous of the others and made a little altar in her stall. Soon, all the horses had mange except for her. You would think she would feel guilty, but she did not. 3. Once in a while the four horses would get together and talk about the old neighborhood. They agreed that none of the younger generation appreciated their sacrifices. They stood in a circle and chuffed in indignation. Soon a wild pony turned up dead of poisoned oats. In public they decried vigilantism, but in private they snickered. 4. Once every four years, the horses got together and put on a little show. They wore top hats and ball gowns. They put silver and gold streaks in their manes and polished their teeth with clover. They tap danced to the old songs and cheered and cheered and cheered. And everyone agreed that it had been that way since the beginning of time. All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2008 by its authors.
	A past Pushcart nominee, G.A. Ingersoll's work has appeared in journals including CutBank, Whalelane, Snow Monkey and The West Wind Review. She can be reached at gaingersoll@gmail.com.
	Issue Fourteen (September 15, 2006): Everything by CB Anderson «» Twelve Steps Down by Mark Budman «» Hands by Stace Budzko «» A Boy Makes a Bow Makes a Man by Robert Earle «» Chancing by Utahna Faith «» Silver Spur Cafe by Sherrie Flick «» A Few Notes on the Remarkable Sighting of the Bishop-Fish of Smith Mountain Lake by R. L. Futrell «» Spooks by David Galef «» It'll Never Work Out for the Two-Headed Boy by Bayard Godsave «» Utilitarianism by Tom Hazuka «» Vandals by Jennifer A. Howard «» The Four Horses by G.A. Ingersoll «» Carrots and Plum Blossoms by Kit Coyne Irwin «» At the Well by Barbara Jacksha «» The Shanghai Cut by John McCaffrey «» Blank by Peter Mehlman «» The Reunion by Christopher Merrill «» Mullet Man, P.I. by Stacey Richter «» Bruce Holland Rogers by Bruce Holland Rogers «» Tamazunchale by Robert Shapard «» Three Steps for Nunzio by Ersi Sotiropoulos, translated by Kay Cicellis «» The Angel by J. David Stevens «» Translation by Melanie Rae Thon «» Diamond District by Katharine Weber «» Ancestors by Kathleen Wheaton «» Cover Art "Despair" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor